A 21-year-old college student worked at a Texas hotel for 32 hours alone during a flood. Guests say he's a hero

(CNN) When Satchel Smith's father dropped him off for his shift at Homewood Suites in Beaumont, Texas, he expected the day to be like any other: He'd start at 3 p.m. and leave around 11 p.m. that night.

That was until Tropical Storm-turned-Depression Imelda unleashed torrential flooding that trapped him and 90 other guests inside the hotel.

For 32 hours, beginning Wednesday afternoon, the 21-year-old was the hotel's only employee. But to the guests who relied on him for nearly two days, he's a hero.

Angela Chandler, a hotel guest, praised Smith's composure in a post on Facebook, where it's been shared more than 13,000 times. While flooded roads kept his co-workers from getting to work, she wrote, Smith served guests alone.

"He has manned the phones, answered each of our questions, ensured that we have had a hot cup of coffee or tea, and helped serve us a hot breakfast," Chandler wrote. "He has handled this situation with grace, kindness, and a beautiful smile on his face."